Vanguard Charter Academy Named Top Nine Public K-8 School in Michigan

Grand Rapids, Michigan, (Dec. 16, 2025) – Vanguard Charter Academy was named a Top Nine Public K-8 School in Michigan by Niche, an organization that specializes in data and rankings. Vanguard’s Elementary and Middle schools were ranked the 10th-best among charter schools in Michigan, earning an A grade overall. The school also ranked second on the Standout Middle Schools in the Grand Rapids Area list.

The rankings are based on a rigorous analysis of key statistics and reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Read more about Niche’s process here.

NHA claimed nine of the top 10 spots on the Best Public K-8 Schools in Michigan rankings. Two NHA high schools were ranked in the top 10 for charter high schools in Michigan, as well.

NHA’s 2026 Best Public K-8 Schools in Michigan:

• South Arbor Charter Academy, No. 1: A+ grade.
• Plymouth Scholars Charter Academy, No. 2: A+ grade.
• Cross Creek Charter Academy, No. 3: A+ grade.
• Excel Charter Academy, No. 4: A grade.
• Eagle Crest Charter Academy, No. 5: A grade.
• Achieve Charter Academy, No. 6: A grade.
• Chandler Woods Charter Academy, No. 7: A grade.
• Vanguard Charter Academy, No. 9: A grade.
• Canton Charter Academy, No. 10: A grade.

NHA’s 2026 Best Charter High Schools in Michigan:

• Grand River Preparatory High School, No. 5: A- grade.
• Wellspring Preparatory High School, No. 8: A- grade.

NHA schools feature prominently in Niche’s charter school and local rankings, as well. Fifteen NHA schools rank in the top 25 on the Best Charter Elementary and Middle Schools in Michigan lists. Cross Creek and Chandler Woods ranked in the top five on the Best Public K-8 Schools in Grand Rapids list. Achieve and Canton were ranked in the top five on the Best Public K-8 Schools in Detroit list.

At the high school level, Grand River Prep and Wellspring Prep were in the top five on the Best Charter High Schools in Grand Rapids list, and Canton Prep and Arbor Prep were ranked in the top five on the Best Charter High Schools in Detroit list.

Great job, and congratulations to all!
 
About Vanguard Charter Academy
Vanguard Charter Academy is a tuition-free, public charter school in Wyoming, Michigan, serving students in Young 5s through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA^®) network, which includes over 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through high school across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

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